Similarities Between Animal Farm And The Russian Revolution

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The Russian Revolution was a time of oppression of those unassuming, as was the story of Animal Farm. On many instances, events of one are similar or even parallel with the other. From the leader’s rise to power to the extermination of individuals who cannot work anymore, it is clear that this story and the revolution share many similarities. This is because Orwell, the author of Animal Farm, wrote the story as satire for a way to convey his views on everything the revolution was. These issues to humanity are portrayed in an evil sort of way, which was no accident. The story is also a political commentary on certain issues and writing these issues in this despicable way portrays the author’s hatred on the abuse of power and government against…show more content…
In the beginning of the story, everything seems fine; power isn’t evenly distributed, but it isn’t abused either. By the end of the second chapter, however, the milk the animals worked incredibly hard to acquire had disappeared. It was never explained where the bucket was, but it is understood that this being missing can foreshadow and even symbolize Animal Farm’s impending doom. This inevitable fate stems from this type of total control and closed mindedness of Totalitarianism. By the seventh chapter, the fate becomes prevalent as Napoleon continues to force labor upon the starving, working-class animals to complete the monumental idea of the windmill. Protesting, once accepted in the beginning in the name of Animalism, is now not permitted because it is against the high state of mind, as seen with the chickens wanting to keep their eggs and being starved even more as a result. At the end of the chapter on page 41, executions occur of those who protest or are against the single state of mind of Totalitarianism, which parallels Stalin’s purges. Once again, Orwell’s views are prevalent with his portrayal of evilness and torture in this totalitarian…show more content…
To achieve these goals, however, one must have power. In the beginning of the story, the pigs were the ones that stepped up to the position. They still had power but it was minimal at best compared to the end. At the end, the abuse of power became apparent as the pigs became exactly what they hated: man himself. Napoleon, or Stalin, used specific techniques in propaganda to find himself in the high position he was in at the end. By poorly educating the unknowing and teaching little chants of “four legs good, two legs bad,” the lesser classes of animals on the farm were left with just enough to understand the commandments and to support their leader without question or protest because they couldn’t cultivate enough reason to do so. Those who did protest were punished, banished, or exterminated, instilling fear among the others to not rebel. Because of this, the road to total control and leadership was paved smoothly for the pigs, leaving the oppressors power to spread their totalitarian regime. This simplicity of acquiring leadership once again portrays Orwell’s views on the subject of rising to power as one can infer from his description and language regarding the topic that he is unhappy. Napoleon was given practically given a position he didn’t deserve and obtained it by brainwashing the simple-minded, like the sheep, his propaganda
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